mini compass help.

[robevs73]

I just bought 5 tiny compasses from ebay for my Chris reeve knife handles but none of them point North. Is there any way of magnetism them so they work?

 

[Rups]

That's really bad luck! Usually when a compass becomes de-magnetised they reverse polarity and point the wrong way, ie south. I've not seen one point randomly. (However I've no idea if it can happen it may well be possible). Have you checked that there is not another source of metal nearby throwing them out? Or could they all be affecting each other? Anyway, good luck getting it sorted!

 

[bikething]

That's really bad luck!

That's what i was thinking - the law of averages is that only some wil be faulty... unless it's a problem at the manufacturing stage..

Do they all point the same way? If they do then it could be, as Rups said, an external influence
Does the direction they point in change if you move them apart? all my compasses have an affect on each other in close proximity (Silva, Recta, Francis Barker) try them one at a time in the garden to see how consistent they are?

Also check the metal of the knife is not having an effect - some all metal knives use a different metal for the cap, so while the blade may be non magnetic, the cap may be.

In terms of re-magnetizing the compasses, you might have trouble getting the needle to stay in one position during the magnetising process due to the pivot - unless you can dismantle it.

 

[JohnC]

I would be inclined to send them back, and either ask for replacements or refund..

 

[sandbender]

Do they have a plastic or metal body? Can they be disassembled?

 

[bikebum1975]

What brand are they? only button compass' I have heard out there being used for stuff like this are these: http://www.stanleylondon.com/smcomp.htm


Really a bummer having that happen

 

[forestwalker]

If they have a disk rather than a needle, and was made by someone who did not give a copulation about quality the magnet that is glued to the underside of the disk could be aligned any which way.

 

[Neumo]

As an aside, would mounting a compass in a knife handle make them be affected by being next to a lump of metal (if it was glued in), which I understand is not something you want to be doing with a compass. Just wondering?

 

[sandbender]

As an aside, would mounting a compass in a knife handle make them be affected by being next to a lump of metal (if it was glued in), which I understand is not something you want to be doing with a compass. Just wondering?

Yes it may, but presuming that the cases are non ferrous and that the compass can be removed for use then he should be OK.

I used to keep a 'FB 1605 NATO Survival Compass' in the handle of my Chris Reeve Shadow III, it still gives an accurate reading.

 

[robevs73]

They are cheap crap from Hong Kong, only 5quid for the lot, they all point different ways and they are nowhere near any metal at the moment. I have two brass mini compasses in knife handles and they are perfect, its not the end of the world they don't work so they will be living in the landfill after Xmas with all the other junk!!!
Thanks for all the imput guys.
Happy Christmas / nadolig Llawen

 

[hoppinmad]

Hi,
I had a silva expedition 4 that become demagnatised due to placing it on a computer monitor..wiped over the needle with a strong bar magnet..to restore magnetism and checked against a known good compass..still use it as a backup compass, may be worth a try [nothing to lose] but if these compasses have never been magnetised..then the magnetic inclination may make them unsuable..but then again nothing lost
Hope this helps
Regards
Stu

 

[robevs73]

cheers Stu but I have binned them. checked my ebay account and I only paid £1.50 for them!